Andreas Nikolai
| birthday = June 8 | age = Unknown | gender = Male | height = 5'11" | weight = 159 lbs | eyes = Light Blue | hair = Silver | blood type = O | unusual features = | affiliation = Veisskreuz | previous affiliation = Vandenreich | occupation = Leader of the Veisskreuz | previous occupation = Stern Ritter "Y" | team = Veisskreuz | previous team = Stern Ritter | partner = Unknown | previous partner = Unknown | base of operations = World of the Living | marital status = Single | relatives = Unknown | education = Quincy Teachings | status = Active | signature skill = Quincy Powers }} Andreas Nikolai (ニコライ ・ アンドレアス, Nikōrai Anudureāsu) is one of the last surviving Quincy and the mysterious leader of the Veisskreuz. He is revealed to have once been a member of Vandenreich's Stern Ritter with the designation "Y", but defected from the position prior to their invasion of the Soul Society. Appearance Andreas is shown to be a rather average height man with light blue eyes and long silver hair. He has been compared to that of Seireitou Kawahiru, although his hair is styled differently. His bangs hang mostly on the right-side of his face and the rest hanging behind his left ear, giving him a similar hair style to that of Uryū Ishida. Andreas dons an attire somewhat similar to that of Vandenreich members, although more loose-fitting. Quincy attire is typically compared to that of both Mandarin Chinese dress and cassocks of Catholic priests, giving them a more "western" appearance in contrast to the "eastern" uniforms worn by Shinigami. Andreas prefers to exemplify his ideals of balance in his clothing choice, influenced by both western and eastern appearances. It is because of this that he wears the japanese hakama with his western-influenced modified Quincy uniform. Although his top attire was likened to that of Vandenreich uniforms, Andreas keeps only the top half form-fitted to his body, while letting the flaps past his waist hang outwards like that of a Shinigami Captain's haori. Personality Although being seen as a man of few words, Andreas appears to actually be rather eccentric. It is usually through his sarcastic and dry-humor remarks that this is revealed, though there have been rare moments of comic expressions and actions on his part. This succeeds in furthering the similarities between himself and Seireitou Kawahiru, whom many have stated to resemble him in appearance. He, however, takes no pride in this, despite being fully aware of Seireitou's status. Subsequently, Andreas is a man that refuses to allow anyone, even himself, to bear pride and honor over trival matters. Things such as titles, rumors, stories, and the like, are considered by him to be "ludicrous wastes of time". Andreas solely believes that a person's honor only has meaning when they are protecting something precious, such as beliefs or ideals. Likewise, one who reserves pride in what they fight for should consider the ramifications of doing so, as they may end up setting themselves apart from others. In this ideal, he views Sōsuke Aizen as a man of virtue, as Andreas stated "he was willing to fight for that which he held important, at the cost of being an enemy of the world". Despite his eccentric nature, Andreas maintains a high level of self-control and seriousness, independent of being in the company of allies or enemies. This is typically seen by many of the more easy-going members of the Veisskreuz as an attempt at "being cool", although Andreas will always deny this with a rather comical dead-pan facial expression. It is through this facial expression that he responds to most melodramatic remarks and insults. Unlike most Quincy, Andreas fights only to render his opponent unable to fight. This is due to his powers causing the victim's soul to vanish instead of being sent to Soul Society or reincarnated, and that it conflicts with his principles to maintain balance. In addition, he is unable to bring himself to put women and children in harm's way. This is shown in an almost chivalrous light, as Andreas will come to the aid of a woman who are abused or treated badly by a man. An example of this is when Andreas came to the aid of Hinata Kusuhana, a Shinigami, when she was attacked by two Arrancar men. Despite his disgust with Quincy tradition, he retains the ideal that it is never an option to retreat from battle and that the death of a comrade must be avenged. He and Sōken Ishida believed in an unusual variant of Quincy philosophy advocating cooperation with the Shinigami, which carries over to his desire for maintaining balance. History Synopsis Equipment *'Quincy Bangles' are artifacts designed to mimic a Quincy's natural powers. They work by drawing in spirit particles from the environment, much like a Quincy does regularly. It can only be used properly by those who are already adept at forming and directing spirit particles. Andreas used these bangles to train humans into eventually developing natural Quincy abilities. *'Quincy Crosses' (滅却十字, mekkyaku jūji; lit. "Destruction Cross"): Taken from the graves of several fallen brethern, Andreas is in possess of hundreds of Quincy crosses. Although the shapes vary from holder to holder, it is typically a cross in the shape of a Quincy Zeichen. Standard equipment for any Quincy, the Quincy Cross acts as the focus for a Quincy bow. The cross need not necessarily be in a cross shape, as Ryūken's cross is a pentacle. While in possession of these, his own Quincy Cross has not be revealed. Seele Schneider .]] The Seele Schneider (魂を切り裂くもの, Zēreshunaidā; German for "Soul Cutter", Japanese for "That Which Slits the Soul") are sword-like weapons used by Quincy. Despite being sword-like, according to Uryū Ishida, Quincy only use arrows as their weapons, and subsequently, these blade-like items are used as arrows that can cause immense damage upon impact. Andreas possesses a very unique Seele Schneider which he constructed himself. He remarked that his Seele Schneider works like that of a Shinigami's Zanpakutō, as he modeled it after undergoing research on Zanpakutō. Andreas revealed that, through painful experimentation, he was able to form an artificial extention of his soul, and craft it into a weapon: resulting in his Zanpakutō-esque Seele Schneider. Worn on his hip, it is a thin, silver-colored weapon with a blue bar running down the length that, when activated, sports a glowing blue blade that is reminiscent of a katana. Because of this, it is relatively longer than average Seele Schneiders, and even features characteristics of an actual physical katana. On impact, the union of spirit particles in whatever has been cut loosens, making this a tool which makes spirit particles easier to steal away. Essentially, it allows Andreas to collect reishi during combat by absorbing the opponent's spiritual-based attacks. The more spiritual pressure and energy an opponent releases, the more powerful he becomes as a result. It allows an opponent's spirit particles to become his. For a Quincy, absorbing spirit particles from the environment to strengthen one's weapon is absolutely imperative and the Seele Schneider is the strongest embodiment of this process. Although, even though the weapon can absorb reishi, it is meant to cut through spirit pressure impacts. It is shown to function something like that of a chainsaw; the blade is composed entirely of reishi, which is constantly revolving around 3,000,000 times per second. Because it was developed to mimic Zanpakutō, Andreas was able to create several techniques unique to his Seele Schenider. Powers & Abilities Immense Spiritual Power: Andreas retains massive levels of spiritual power, easily surpassing that of a Captain status Shinigami of the Gotei 13. It is typically light blue in coloration. He boasts incredible control of his energy levels, in that he can conceal his presence from even Onmitsukidō members with strict ease. Being a master at the Quincy art of absorbing reishi from opponents allows Andreas to consistently raise his spiritual energy levels almost limitlessly. Raian Getsueikirite noted that a human would be incapable of possessing such levels of spiritual energy because their body would be unable to maintain the pressure and would eventually collapse. It is implied by Andreas that an encounter with the Hōgyoku has allowed his soul to separate from his original human body, but instead of becoming a plus with a soul chain attached to his chest, he was able to become something entirely different, subsequently developing a physiology almost perfectly identical to that of a Shinigami, allowing him to transcend human limitations and gain Shinigami-level power. Reiryoku Absorption & Manipulation: Andreas, as a Quincy, primarily absorbs spiritual energy from the atmosphere, and combines it with his own spiritual energy. To a sufficiently powerful Quincy, there is no difference between spiritual particles and spiritual energy as a source of power. He can manipulate spiritual energy for offensive purposes. In addition, the surrounding Andreas finds himself in appears to never really influence his absorption ability, unlike most Quincies that find it easier to collect reishi from climates such as Hueco Mundo. Andreas most commonly reshapes spiritual particles into various types of bow and arrows, but can also concentrate spiritual energy into Gintō spells. *'Reikasuika' (霊化水化, "Soul-Synthesized Liquefaction") is a master-level technique of the Quincy, and was said to have only been mastered by three individuals. It is an ability that allows Quincy to naturally liquefy their raw spiritual energy. Doing so allows them to access a variety of powerful and mysterious techniques, but none so significant as the ability to utilize Gintō spells without the need for the capsule-like tools. *'Reishi Arrangement:' Using his prowess of reishi manipulation, Andreas can invoke special techniques and abilities by rearranging the reishi particles around him, in a manner similar to how Byakuya Kuchiki can create different Bankai forms by arranging his sword fragments. However, this ability has only been mentioned, and not seen in actual use. *'Ransōtengai' (乱装天傀, "heavenly wild puppet suit"; Viz translation, "disheveled paradise puppet"): Using his mastery of spiritual particle manipulation, Andreas has access to the rare Quincy technique, Ransōtengai. This is a high-level technique that allows the user to control their body parts using strings of spirit energy controlled by their brain, forming lines or strings out of countless spiritrons. By using this technique, the user can control their body as one would a puppet, allowing them to move freely despite paralysis, broken limbs, or any other force that would impede normal movement. It was originally created to allow elderly Quincy to fight effectively, and was considered by Shinigami researchers as one of their most powerful techniques. He has shown an ability to freely affect an opponent's body, albeit slightly, during battle. While he can't completely control them, he is able to cause small disruptions in their stepping and movements in order to throw off their attacks and defenses, leaving them open to attack. *'Heilig Pfeil' (神聖滅矢 (ハイリッヒ・ブファイル), Hairihhi Bufairu; German for "Holy Arrows", Japanese for "Sacred Destruction Arrows"): By summoning an enormous reishi of the surrounding area at the very tip of his fingers, he can create a physical spiritual spear that possesses a compact form with devastating results when launched. The size expands outwards upon making contact with the intended target, engulfing the opponent in a massive explosion of reiryoku that implodes inwards once it expands, causing even greater damage than a regular reiryoku-based attack, such as Cero. Hirenkyaku Master: Andreas is a master of the Quincy high-speed movement technique, Hirenkyaku (飛廉脚, "Flying Screen Step/God Step"; Viz translation, "Flying Bamboo-Blind Leg"). To perform the technique, the user gathers spiritual particles under their feet and rides them to the desired location. Like the air-walking skill displayed by most Arrancar and Shinigami, it can also be used to hover or fly for long distances. Seireitou noted that Andreas moves like that of a feather, relating his movement to that of Saori Sumeragi. His speed is great enough that he can match Shunpo masters such as Raian and Seireitou, allowing him to easily keep up with the both of them. His movement is so fast that he tends to leave white afterimages after moving, which has earned him the title of Silver Flash (銀閃き, Ginsenkō) among the Quincy. Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Bearing some skill in martial arts, Andreas has significant skill in Hakuda, able to match a Lieutenant-level Shinigami. Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: Andreas has shown himself to be highly skilled in swordplay, able to maintain a steady rate of battle against Seireitou Kawahiru, albeit the latter was holding back initially. While not his most advanced field of combat, Andreas appears to almost always rely on it, usually to gauge the prowess of an opponent. He was also able to engage in bladed combat against Raian, holding his own with little effort. Master Gunslinger: His skills in shooting are determined by his ease of one-handed firing as well as precision attacking a target without inflicting any harm to anything but his target. Andreas is highly precise even without looking at his opponent with his eyes. In a battle with an invading Menos Grande, he claimed that he would use only two shots: one to disrupt the Hollow's center of gravity, and the second one to kill him through his forehead. After making this statement, his attention was drawn towards the side, in regards to a nearby battle happening between Minato Kuramoto and Yoshitsune, and without facing his opponent, he fired two instantaneous shots, accomplishing that which he claimed perfectly which resulted first in the Hollow losing his balance, and the second shot firing straight through his forehead where Andreas stated it would hit, down to the exact nearest-nanometer measurements. Enhanced Strength: Andreas is capable of holding his own against powerhouses such as Seireitou and Raian, being able to hold back the kick of the former using a parrying forearm block. Despite claiming that he felt his arm break, his sarcastic tone seemed to suggest otherwise. Immense Intellect: Without a doubt, Andreas is one of the more intellectual characters in the series. Ranging from his impressive abilities of perception to his powers of combat improvisation, Andreas is capable of effortlessly devising plans and strategies to suit any and all possible situations that may arise. Gintō Master: Like a Captain, whom is considered a master of Kidō spells, Andreas retains an impressive and masterful ability of using Gintō spells. Because he learned the rare technique, Reikasuika, he is able to utilize Gintō without the need for capsule-like tubes used by Quincy to store liquefied spiritual energy. Andreas can use Gintō at speeds rivaling Raian's speed in Kidō, activating one after another simultaneously without any form of fatigue being apparent. While Uryū Ishida, whom is arguably an excellent user of Gintō in his own right, could only barely injure an Adjuchas-level Hollow, the Gintō spells used by Andreas are able to completely decimate several large Menos Grande with minimal effort. In addition, his mastery has allowed Andreas to develop his own spells, creating various unique spells that range anywhere from attack, defense, or even healing. Spirit Weapon Reishi Pistols: Andreas generates two ornamental pistols, each of them the same length. They are strong enough to actually use as close-range shields against blades. As the ammunition fired by this pistol is simply condensed reishi, it can engulf targets in intense blue flames upon collision. However, they appear more like Cero than anything else. Andreas can fire several shots simultaneously, remarking during a battle against Jihan Kanda that three thousand shots without rest time would be "nothing short of simple" for him to accomplish. *'Licht Platzen' (バースト聖なる光の, Rihito Puratuzēn; German for "Light Burst", Japanese for "Burst of Holy Light"): Andreas uses his pistols to unleash a powerful barrage of reishi shots simultaneously that, because of their density and grouping, can appear to fuse together into one large reishi blast. He is able to change the direction of this attack during firing, making it extremely difficult to avoid. Quincy: Vollständig Celeste Diocesi (天国の教区, serestē dīosisi; Italian for "Heavenly Diocese", Japanese for "Divine Administration"): *'Physical Augmentation:' While in this form, Andreas is physically enhanced to the point of challenging a Captain-level opponent, such as Raian Getsueikirite, to a one-on-one fight. In addition, the level of his spiritual power is significantly increased. Even being within the vicinity of his release is enough to even break the bones of weaker opponents, and cause the muscles of stronger opponents to move slower. Quotes * "Be it Human or Shinigami, I will not tolerate a woman being attacked in such an unslightly manner." Behind the Scenes Andreas will be modeled to be a Quincy version of Seireitou Kawahiru. Although he makes no direct remark to this, certain characters have taken to addressing him as Andy, a shorter variant of the name Andreas. * The image of his second Quincy bow was drawn by Zanpakutō-Leader on DeviantArt, formerly known as Cayossj2. Category:Character